Project aims to create new capacities for graduate students from partner-countries to integrate in international research-business collaboration in the sphere of sustainable urban development. The project will build a network of universities and research institutes, public and private companies and political bodies in Russia, China and EU to strengthen international collaboration in green technologies for sustainable development of megacities, including management and design of urban forests and green infrastructure, landscaping, urban farming and waste management. The main activities planned by the project include 1) internships of graduate students; 2) short-term introduction and adaptation courses for students, coming for internship abroad; 3) training international experts on environmental issues of urban sustainable development; 4) professional training courses for companies and policy-makers on environmental issues of urban sustainable development.
The main motivation for the consortium to undertake this project was to adapt the European expertise and to create the capacities for Russian and Chinese HEI's to train specialists to enhance their competitiveness in the international and regional markets, who could benefit from new career perspectives in urban-rural interactions and sustainable development. This target has been achieved via strengthening the cooperation between HEI's and employers (private companies, public organizations and NGOs) both within the partner-countries and between Russia, China and EU.The main achievements of the project have been:the survey of labour market in the sector of sustainable development of rural and urban systems;the design and implementation of innovative intensive courses (in presence and online) focused on technical, social, and cultural aspects of sustainable development;the implementation of international (cross-regions) internships for graduate students providing the opportunities to enter in contact with the labour activities supporting the sustainable development of rural and urban systems;the design and implementation of professional courses (in presence and online) to update technical skills and knowledge on environmental issues;the development of an interactive web platform for HEI's- Employers collaboration in the sector of learning internship;the creation of a new international network, involving graduate students, HEIs and employers in Russia, China and EU to promote the graduates for the most prospective careers in urban-rural interactions and sustainable development;the design and implementation of a web page to inform and attract international students to the TAURUS courses (in presence and online).These goals have been reached thanks to a fruitful cooperation between partners who demonstrated a perfect synergy that made coping with the new challenges set by the pandemic situation.